Oh mind, why are you getting caught up in the traps of the world? These worldly issues are of no use to you. Serve the Lotus feet of the Satguru. You will be in everlasting bliss.
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach..
Listen oh Light of the Tehans, the Prabhoo sat in Kartarpur. One day he was sitting under a tree in his fields. He sat casually, doing the Simran of the Prabhoo. A child came with his goats. It was time for the child’s great fortune to awaken. Guru ji saw the child and said: “Bala, go and bring that child here.” I went to where the child was tending his goats. I said to the child: “child, the Tappa ji is calling you. He wants to speak to you. Come first then you can go back to your goats.” The child came with me. When he did Guru ji’s Darshan, the child was really happy. He bowed to Guru ji’s lotus feet. He then stood up in front with his hands folded. Guru ji casted his divine vision on the boy. Guru ji then said: “child, what is your name? In which village is your home? Who are your parents? Are these your animals that you are tending or someone else’s?” The child heard this and said: “my home is near your village. My name is Boora Randhawa. We are Jatts. By the command of my parents, I tend my own animals and some of my neighbours.” Guru ji said: “alright, go and tend to your animals. Go and do your work.” The boy said: “I am confused. You first called me over and now you told me to go. You didn’t ask me to do anything. You told me to go now. If you had no work with me then why did you command me to come?” Sri Guru ji smiled and said: “I called you to me. What was wrong with that? Meeting and conversing with others; you establish who is yours and who is not yours. We can tell what is the other person’s wisdom and awareness by talking to them.” Boora bowed and left but his mind fell into a deep love with Guru ji. His love kept growing deeper. He tended his animals till evening and then went home. He spent the night in a deep attraction towards the Guru’s Darshan.
Listen Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, I asked Guru ji: “this child that you called to you, you spoke to him. Tell me who he was and why did you call him to you? Tell me everything.” The Prabhoo said: “this child is really wise. The wisest. He is a really pure soul. The purest. He will be a complete saint in a few days. He will be the great home of Sikhi. His mind will not even touch the vices. He is pure beyond comprehension. He will be the highest Brahmgyaani. He will be Jeevan Mukat. He will be able to give others Mukti by his words. He will save many.” I said to Guru ji: “if he will be as you say, why was he so confused?” Guru ji said: “his Bhagti is complete but the Gyaan hasn’t illuminated in his mind yet. When the lotus blooms, his fragrance will spread in the world. He will be the master of the Divine vision.” I asked Guru ji: “when will the Gyaan be illuminated in him? Tell me, oh Giver of Joy.” Guru ji said: “it was just this long. I just needed to see him and talk to him. He just needed my Darshan. Watch his radiance tomorrow. Watch is grandeur tomorrow. The locks of attachment will break for him. All of the doors of doubt will break. He has been my Bhagat for millions of lives now. It is his time to be one with the One.”
In the morning, Boora woke up. He only dreamt of the Guru all night long. His mother had churned butter. Bhai Boora ji took the butter and placed it in a bowl. He took the bowl without telling his parents. He slipped away and came to where Prabhoo ji was. Boora ran to Kartarpur. He met the Muktidata. He placed the butter in front of Guru ji. He bowed and sat near Guru ji. Guru ji smiled and said: “why did you bring the butter?” The child said: “listen Tappa ji, I brought it for you. This ghee is from my home. I have heard that one should not do the Darshan of saints empty-handed. I wanted to come to you and bring you a gift.” Guru ji said: “child, you are young. You decided to bring the butter here. The trap of the home is great. The one who gets trapped in it cannot come out. It is difficult, like a fish caught in a net.” The child, mesmerized, said: “my mother, father and home, I see them all as you. I brought butter here for you. I woke up in the morning with a new eagerness to see you again. I didn’t tell anyone before coming here.” Guru ji said: “oh child, you stole the ghee from your parents. When you go back home, they will beat you in anger. I will not take this butter. Take this back home. Don’t worry, I have received your gift, what you brought. I am happy with the love in your heart.” Bhai Boora ji began to cry. Vairagya and love awoke in his heart. He said: “I don’t know if my mother or father will beat me but you are beating me now.” Sri Guru ji said: “I didn’t say anything harsh to you. I wanted good for you. I didn’t beat you. Why are you crying?” Bhai Boora ji said: “listen Prabhoo ji, the beating that you gave me, there is no other beating harsher than not accepting a gift. You lit the Deeva and now you are blowing it out. It is good for you to make my light brighter. Put more love oil in it to make it brighter. Destroy the darkness inside me. Show me the real thing, my Aatma. Fulfill my wish. Cut my pain.” The Gunkhaani smiled and spoke: “Bhudda, you speak like elders from your mouth.” From that point on, the boy was known as “Bhai Bhudda ji.” He came to the shelter of the home of Joy. The Guru was compassionate with him. Guru ji said: “oh child with great love, bow before the Kartaar. The wish of your heart will be fulfilled. You will receive the Gyaan of everlasting bliss.” Bhai Bhudda ji folded his hands and bowed to the Lotus feet of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. As soon as his head touched the feet of Guru ji, the Gyaan illuminated. The duality and doubts of his body were all destroyed. His heart was pure. Guru ji then said to Bhai Bhudda ji: “wake up at 2 am everyday and bathe. Do the Simran of the Naam. Accept the will of the Parmeshwar.” The boy folded his hands and said: “do I still need to bathe? (I am not the body anymore) You destroyed the filth of “me” inside of me. I am a sacrifice unto your Darshan. I will never be touched by this filth ever again. The pain of being born or dying again has been cut for me. I have met my pure and Sahij form. By knowing this, the everlasting beautiful bliss has illuminated.” Guru ji said: “you will bless many people. They will meet you and receive the ultimate Bibek (of seeing their true Aatma) from you. They will see your ways and follow what you do (if you don’t bathe, people won’t either). They will become eager seeing you and became saints as well (when they see you bathing, reciting Gurbani and doing Simran).” In this way Bhai Bhudda ji was blessed. He remained sitting there and did not go home.
Bhai Bhudda ji’s parents came looking for him. They came to Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Dhera. When they saw their child, by the Guru’s words, the boy had become a “Bhudda.” When the parents saw his state, they noticed that he was not of this world anymore. He was of no use to them as he didn’t see his body or this world anymore. His parents went back home. In this way, Bhai Bhudda ji remained with Satguru ji. He served the Lotus feet of Satguru ji. He never had any desire in his mind. His mind was one and still in the Satsangat. He spent some time like this.
Listen Sri Guru Angad Dev ji to the history. One day, I went to Mata Sulakhani ji to bow to her. I casually sat by her. She said to me: “let Tappa ji stay here now. He has travelled a lot. He went to many lands with you. You stayed with him for a long time. When you come, he takes you and travels. He spends a long time when he goes. Leave him with us now. He doesn’t go anywhere without you.” I heard this and thought to my self: “from her point of view, she said the right thing. He did a lot of Udaasis. It’s good that Guru ji stays with them now.” I obeyed her. I went to Guru Prabhoo ji and folded my hands. I said: “please tell us who will sit on your throne after you? Who will you give the Gurta Ghaddi to? Will you give it to Baba Sri Chand ji or Baba Lakhmi Das ji? Or will it be someone else, oh Giver of Joy? Tell me from your mouth; who will be the Guru of the world?” Guru ji said: “after me, there will be a Khatri of the Trehan clan. His name will be “Lehna” and then it will be “Sri Guru Angad Dev ji.” I will take on a new form within him. Bhagti and Love will spread. Nobody will be able to see the difference between the two of us. Such will be my second form.” I heard this and bowed with my hands folded. I bowed to his Lotus Feet and said: “Prabhoo ji, give me permission to go back to Talwandi. I will live there now. When it will be your blessing, I will come to you. I will have your Darshan when you wish it. Remember me, seeing me as your servant. Please forgive my mistakes, my actions and my words.” Sri Guru ji heard this and said: “oh beloved, you are always connected to me. You are my companion in this world and in the Parlok. You have always obeyed me and always will. The body meets and separates but the minds never separate. You will always be remembered in my heart. Why would I ever forget my greatest friend?” I heard this and bowed. I left after receiving permission. I came to Talwandi then. Day and night, I kept the form of Guru ji in my thoughts. I have never taken my focus off of his form even for a second. My heart has been in a deep bliss all the time. Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, oh great Guru ji, whatever awareness I had in my heart, I was able to say the Katha. I said the Katha as you commanded. I lived in Talwandi after that and always focused on Guru Nanak Dev ji. When I heard that Guru ji took on a second form, I wanted to see you again. I quickly came to your presence. I did your Darshan again, oh Light of the Trehans. You are the same as Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji! My faith is solid. I believe this. You had your own Katha written. You saw me as your servant and wanted to give me the greatness. You know everything oh Omniscient One. You speak of the 3 states of time.”
When Sri Guru Angad Dev ji heard this Katha, Bhai Paira Mokha ji wrote it all down. Guru Angad Dev ji was really happy. He said: “listen Bala ji, you are like the Sri Guru ji. You are Dhan, Dhan! Your life is Dhan! Your face is like the full moon. Your words are Amrit, as it drops from the moon. The Sikhs will drink this Amrit. They will not be satiated by drinking this Amrit Katha. The greatness of this Katha cannot be praised to its fullest. Whoever listens to this Katha will receive the 4 Padarthas (Dharma, Arth, Kaam and Moksha). Nothing will be impossible for that listener. It will be like someone having the Paras (philosopher’s stone). They will never be in shortage. You have done a great thing for the world, Bhai Bala ji. There is nothing greater than this. Sikhs will read and listen to this Katha. They will have the love for Sri Guru ji, hearing this Katha. The reward for listening to this Katha, the sins will run away. Having faith will calm the mind. The faith for Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji’s lotus feet will grow. The ones who hear this Katha, they will receive the gift of Mukti.” Bhai Bala ji folded his hands and said: “listen oh Master: whatever history I saw or heard, I have said it all to you. I don’t know anything else beyond this. You already know everything. My body has been grabbed by old age. I am very old now. Please give your command so I may leave this body. I wish to leave my body at your feet and be saved from the world.” Sri Guru Angad Dev ji smiled and said: “why are you in such a hurry? You still have 2 months of age left. Your body will become ash then. Stay with me till then. Continue to tell me the Katha of Guru ji.” Bhai Bala ji was happy to hear this. He stayed with Guru Angad Dev ji then. He would speak about Guru Nanak Dev ji with Guru Angad Dev ji, of whatever he could remember.
After 2 months, Bhai Bala ji’s age finished. His time came. He bowed to Sri Guru Angad Dev ji and thought of him. He made the ground pure at Sri Tapyana Sahib in Sri Khadoor Sahib. He thought of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He laid down and took a cloth over his body. He received the highest status, being very fortunate. He received the highest status, not achievable by the strongest Rishis and Munis. Bhai Bala ji’s light immersed into Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, like water meeting water. At that time, the king of the Trehans had a pyre prepared. He had the Sikhs place the body of Bhai Bala ji on top of the pyre. Guru ji came close and lit the pyre himself. The Sikhs tried to stop him but Guru Angad Dev ji wanted to light the pyre himself. The beloved servants of the Guru cannot be seen as different from the Guru. After lighting the pyre, Guru ji sat with the Sangat and praised Bhai Bala ji. Everyone said: “he was Dhan Dhan! He was the beloved Sikh of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.” Bhai Bala ji’s final resting place is at Sri Tapyana Sahib in Sri Khadoor Sahib.